Illinois congressman claim they were denied access to Broadview ICE processing center

Illinois Congressmen denied access to ICE facilities

Members of Congress, along with some immigration lawyers and advocates, visited the ICE processing center in the Broadview neighborhood on Wednesday, but were denied entry.

CHICAGO - Members of Congress, along with some immigration lawyers and advocates, visited the ICE processing center in the Broadview neighborhood on Wednesday, but were denied entry.

What we know:

Congress representatives Danny K. Davis, Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, Delia C. Ramirez, and Jonathan Jackson were spurred by reports that the center is being used as a detention center, where migrants are being denied access to their attorneys and being held in inhumane and unsanitary conditions. 

The representatives said they were not allowed into the facility. It's unclear why they were denied access.

Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi and Jackson previously tried to gain access to the center on Tuesday, but were similarly denied.

What they're saying:

"Providing direct services—legal counsel, translation help, connection to community support—is not just a gesture, it’s a responsibility," said Congressman Davis. "Our constituents deserve dignity and clarity, especially when they’re at their most vulnerable. I’ll continue to advocate for transparency and fair treatment, and fight to ensure federal agencies in our district operate with accountability and humanity."

"Last week about 200 people received texts and emails ordering them to report to this processing center and then were detained," said Congressman García.  "Some families were told to come to the processing center on a day when families should have been celebrating Father’s Day. But with the cruelty that has characterized this administration, their children found themselves not knowing where their dads were or when they would see them again. These are not criminals. These are hard working people who are contributing to our country."

"Under Kristi Noem's leadership, ICE has spent billions of dollars to terrorize our communities and violate our rights. We have heard of inhumane conditions in which our neighbors are unlawfully held in these detention centers, without access to their medication, legal counsel, or basic necessities. The abuses must stop," said Congresswoman Ramirez, who serves on the Homeland Security Committee.

 "Our visit to Broadview today was absolutely essential, a vital step in our unyielding fight for transparency and accountability in our immigration system.  As elected officials, it is our sacred duty to witness these facilities firsthand, to look into the eyes of those being processed, and to ensure that operations align with every fiber of our American values and uphold the inherent dignity of every single human being," said Congressman Jackson. "What I faced yesterday in the South Loop as well -being actively barred from performing congressional oversight- is an outrage. It doesn’t just underscore the urgent need for open access; it demands immediate answers from ICE regarding their deplorable practices and the well-being of those trapped in their custody.

The backstory:

Donald Trump has repeatedly bashed so-called "sanctuary cities," or municipalities, like Chicago, that have passed laws limiting local police departments' participation in federal immigration enforcement. Migrants in the country illegally have been the target of ICE operations in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs during Trump’s second term.

Such operations have prompted warnings from local officials and large protests at sites where ICE agents were seen and across the city in recent weeks.